I actually think it’s the opposite. For an Xbox handheld—or a PlayStation handheld, for that matter—to stand a chance, it needs to share the same library and infrastructure as the home console. Otherwise, we’re just doomed to repeat the mistakes that killed off so many handhelds before.
Here’s the kicker: it also has to deliver everything we expect from portable gaming. That means being reasonably sized, reasonably powerful, and reasonably efficient. But today’s tech can’t pull off all that magic in one package. Microsoft isn’t just making a Handheld-PC here; they’re making a handheld console. The bar’s set higher—this thing has to work perfectly out of the box and hold its own for an entire generation. This isn’t some trendy experiment like the Asus Ally.
To nail it on the first try, they’re going to need a custom solution from AMD, something that aligns with the tech in their consoles. Honestly, that’s probably better suited for the next-gen Xbox. Either that, or they’ll need a killer ARM solution from Nvidia or Qualcomm plus an insane translation layer. And, surprise—it all takes time.
By the time an Xbox handheld finally drops, it’ll be up against the Steam Deck 2, Switch 2, and a new lineup of Windows handhelds. So, yeah, they’d better get it right the first time. It’ll need to be priced like the Steam Deck 2 and Switch 2 but perform close to those Windows handhelds. And the same goes for Sony if they’re thinking of jumping back into the handheld arena.
People look at the booming handheld PC market and think it’s a breeze. But here’s the thing they’re conveniently overlooking: the expectations for a console are a whole different ballgame. The manufacturer isn’t just tossing together a decent hardware setup—they have to supply everything: hardware, software, infrastructure, media, and all that jazz. And it’s all expected to last an entire generation.
It’s not just about throwing some specs together and calling it a ‘console.’ It’s about creating an entire ecosystem that actually works. And, to make things even more fun, that ecosystem has to be identical or close enough to share resources with to the home console’s. Yeah, that’s a whole lot harder than a handheld PC or even a dedicated solo handheld like the Switch.